1-11 Ethernet OAM ConfigurationWhen configuring the Ethernet OAM function, go to these sections for information you are interested in:z Ethernet OAM Overviewz Ethernet OAM Configuration Task Listz Configuring Basic Ethernet OAM Functionsz Configuring Link Monitoringz Enabling OAM Remote Loopbackz Displaying and Maintaining Ethernet OAM Configurationz Ethernet OAM Configuration ExampleEthernet OAM OverviewBackgroundWith features such as ease of use and low price, Ethernet has gradually become the major underlyingtechnology for today’s local area networks (LANs). Recently, with the emergence of Gigabit Ethernetand 10-Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet is gaining popularity in metropolitan area networks (MANs) and widearea networks (WANs) as well.In the beginning, Ethernet is mainly used in LANs, which have low reliability and stability requirements.This is why an effective management and maintenance mechanism for Ethernet has been absent allalong, hindering the usage of Ethernet in MANs and WANs. Implementing Operation, Administrationand Maintenance (OAM) on Ethernet networks has now become an urgent matter.As a tool monitoring Layer 2 link status, Ethernet OAM is mainly used to address common link-relatedissues on the “last mile.” You can monitor the status of the point-to-point link between two directlyconnected devices by enabling Ethernet OAM on them.Major Functions of Ethernet OAMEthernet OAM can effectively promote your management and maintenance capabilities over Ethernetnetworks, guaranteeing the stability of the networks. Its major functions include:z Link performance monitoring: Monitors the performance indices of a link, including packet loss,delay, and jitter, and collects traffic statistics of various types.z Fault detection and alarm: Checks the connectivity of a link by sending OAM protocol data units(OAMPDUs) and reports to the network administrators when a link error occurs.z Remote loopback: Detects link errors by looping back non-OAMPDUs.Ethernet OAMPDUsFigure 1-1 shows the formats of different types of OAMPDUs.
